Mudd, who spent close to three decades working in the CIA and FBI before retiring in 2010, was overcome by emotion when asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer for his thoughts on the massacre in Parkland, Fla., where police say a former student, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, killed 17 people and injured at least a dozen more.

“I have 10 nieces and nephews and we’re talking about bump stocks? We’re talking about legislation? A child of God is dead,” Mudd said, his voice breaking. “Can we now acknowledge in this country that we cannot accept this?”

“As we speak, there is a horrific scene playing out at a high school in South Florida,” Murphy said. “If you turn on your television right now, you’re going to see scenes of children running for their lives.”

“This happens nowhere else other than the United States of America,” he said. “This epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting. It only happens here, not because of coincidence, not because of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction. We are responsible.”

Sen. @ChrisMurphyCT on Parkland, Florida School Shooting: "This happens nowhere else other than the United States of America, this epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting." pic.twitter.com/bgIrYzrDRl